2019 Theses Master's

Alternative modes of transportation and BART A proposal to integrate competing transportation systems in the San Francisco Bay Area, California

Bhoopanam, Srujana

This study analyses the impact of alternative modes of transportation such as Caltrain, Uber, carpool apps and other significant transport modes on Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) ridership in the San Francisco Bay Area. BART is a subway service in San Francisco and parts of Oakland and Berkeley while Caltrain services the Contra Costa County, Alameda County, and San Mateo County. These are the two major public transit providers in the giant tech regions of Silicon Valley. According to BART ridership reports, there has been a gradual decline in the number of riders in the years between 2014 and 2018 (BART, 2018).

There has also been a significant increase in the usage of rideshare and carpooling apps in the Bay Area. This study shall do quantitative and qualitative research on ridership numbers, pricing, and time taken for the selected routes for the different modes of transportation including BART. The results are compared for understanding the preference patterns of commuters of these transport options in the Bay Area. The analysis will aid in providing strategies and recommendations for an integrated system among the existing alternative modes mentioned for better public transit facilitation for the people of the Bay Area.